Fence



s. J. MILLER} FENCE:

Patented Oct. 27, 1885.

WITNESSES .uvmwozz .dttorney designates the ground-line.

SAMUEL J. MILLER, OF CAMBRIDGE CITY, INDIANA.

FENCE.

..'?ECIE ATI0N forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,197, dated October27, 1885.

Application filed May 21, 1885.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cambridge City, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in the construction offences; and the purposethereof is to provide a simple, efficient, andcomparatively inexpensive all-metal fence having means whereby theterminal or main posts may be retained in a vertical position, the wireskept tense, and the expansion and contraction thereof compensated andpermitted.

The invention consists in the several novel features of construction andcombinations of parts hereinafter fully set forth, and definitelypointed out in the claims annexed to this specification.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this application, Figure 1 isa side elevation showing a portion of a fence embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is adetail view illustrating the construction of the intermediate postsplanted between the terminals or main posts.

In the said drawings, the reference-letterA The fence is composed ofposts a, constructed of metal plate rolled or otherwise brought intosemicircular form in cross-section and driven into the soil, these postsconstituting the terminal or main posts, which are usually placed at theextremities of a line of fencing or at the corners. To these posts areattached, in any suitable manner, the strandsz' i i, which are supportedat suitable points between the main posts by sub-posts b.

The sub posts are composed of two parts, one being a semicircular orsemicylindrical plate, I), which is driven into the soil, and isprovided with notches to receive the strands. The other part consists ofa brace, c, shorter and of less width than the part b, and havingsemi-cylindrical form in crosssection. The

Serial No.166,311. (No model.)

parts are placed together, the convex faces being turned outward, andthe upper end of the brace being placed in and against the concave faceof the intermediate post. They are fastened by a bolt, 6, the point ofattachment being such that when the post is driven into the ground thelower end of the brace will rest thereon at a little distance from thepost. Connected with each terminal or main post is a sillorground-plate, Z, composed of arigid metallic strip or bar, oneendthereof being curved to embrace the post a, and having its extremitybent around the edge thereof and lappeddown upon its inner face, bywhich displacement of the sill and turning of the post is prevented. Theother end extendssome distance from the post, and is bent upward at aright angle, or thereabout, as shown in Fig. 1 at Z. l

The letter a designates a brace, one end of which embraces the post at apoint within its upper third, being curved around the same in the mannershown at d d in Fig. 2, and already substantially described inconnection with the manner of constructing the groundsill. The portionof the brace which is carried around the post is horizontal, but thebody part is in- I clined downward toward the end of the groundsill, andits end, which is bent into substantial parallelism therewith, lies uponsaid sill and may abut against the upturned end Z. Through this portionof the brace is tapped a screwbolt, h, passing through an opening in thesill Z and resting upon a plate, 9, beneath it.

It will readily be seen that by turning the bolt h a thrust may be givento the post by which it may be straightened in case it has yielded tothe drag of the wires,while at the same time a suitable'tension may beimparted to the latter. In cases also where iron strands are employedwhich are capable of expansion and contraction by changes of temperaturethis device may be conveniently employed to slacken the wires in winterand restore their tension when warm weather returns.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an all-metalfence, the combination,

upper portion and having its end resting upon the sill and abuttingagainst its upturned extremity, substantially as specified.

2. 111 an all-metal fence, the combination, with a semi-cylindricalpost, of a ground sill or plate having one end embracing the foot of thepost, a brace similarly attached to its upper portion and inclineddownward toward the end of the sill, a screw-bolt tapped through the endof said brace, and a plate beneath the sill upon which the end of thebolt rests, substantially as specified.

In an all-metal fence, the combination, with a semi-cylindrical post, ofa ground sill or plate having one end curved around the foot of saidpost, and lapping over its edge upon the concave face thereof, a bracesimilarly connected to its upper portion and having its end lying uponthe sill and abutting against 20 the upturned extremity thereof, a platebeneath the sill, a bolt tapped through the end of the brace, passingthrough the sill, and resting upon said plate, and wire strandssupported by said posts and by suitable sub-posts, substantially asspecified.

4. In an all-metal fence, the combination, with a post having a groundsill or plate connected to its lower part, of a brace having one endattached to its upper portion and its other end resting upon thegroundsill at a distance from the post, and asorew-bolt tapped throughthe end of said brace and having its end resting upon a solid supportbeneath the same, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL J. MILLER.

IVitnesses:

J lures W. NrcnoLs, \V. I. DENNIS.

